UK minister resigns over government's 'apathy' on environmental issues

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Zac Goldsmith, a Foreign Office minister responsible for Asia, energy, climate, and the environment, announced his resignation on Friday, accusing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of being "uninterested" in the environment.

In his lengthy letter to Sunak, Goldsmith expressed his decision to step down as a minister due to what he described as "the government's apathy in the face of the greatest challenge we have faced," stating that it is untenable for him to continue in his current role.

Highlighting the government's commitments and policies on environmental issues, the outgoing minister said that the UK has "visibly" stepped off the world stage and withdrawn its "leadership on climate and nature."

"I have been horrified as, bit by bit, we have abandoned these commitments – domestically and on the world stage ... Our efforts on a wide range of domestic environmental issues have simply ground to a standstill," he said.

However, according to No 10, the Prime Minister's Office, Goldsmith resigned after being asked to apologize for his tweet that questioned House of Commons Privileges Committee's inquiry into whether former Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled parliament.

On June 15, the committee found that Johnson "knowingly misled parliament" about "partygate" lockdown parties held at Downing Street that breached COVID-19 rules.

"You were asked to apologize for your comments above the Privileges Committee as we felt they were incompatible with your position as a Minister of the Crown. You have decided to take a different course," Sunak said in his letter to the outgoing minister.

In response, Goldsmith denied that this was the cause of his resignation.

"My decision to step down has been a long time coming. When I compare what I and my amazing team were able to do before the current PM took office with the slow progress today, it seems to me I can no longer justify being in government," he added.